IFoA Asia Conference 2024: online programme

Keynote speakers:

• Guoli Chen – Deputy Secretary General, Insurance Asset Management Association of China (TBC)
• Tony Chan – Associate Director, Policy and Development at Hong Kong Insurance Authority

Recently, insurers have been faced with the challenge of having to deal with a myriad of regulatory changes being introduced across Asia as well as a more volatile economic environment than before. Against this backdrop of uncertainties, there is an increased focus from insurers to rethink on their investment strategies to improve the profitability and balance sheet resilience.

This session aims to discuss:

• key insurance investment trends observed across Asia
• key challenges and ideas on how insurers could better manage ALM incorporating different competing objectives and constraints
• how insurers can manage traditional asset classes: fixed income optimisation and equity solutions
• key benefits and common challenges faced by insurers on the use of ‘new’ investment tools, e.g. alternatives and derivatives
• how asset managers can support insurers in this journey

Join us for a discussion on the challenges insurers face in navigating the current complicated environment and how they could refine their investment approach to better optimise their return on capital and manage their risks.

Speakers

• Steven Yu, Yuyuan Technology
• Xin Liu, Sunshine Insurance Group
• Zhao Wei Yee, HSBC Global Asset Management
• Thibaut Ferret, HSBC Global Asset Management

Language: English

Rising reinsurance costs, evolving regulations, and the need for balance sheet optimisation have made reinsurance an important tool for APAC insurers.

The APAC region has seen a tightening of reinsurance capacity relative to demand driven by a tougher economic and market condition. This has made it crucial for insurers in this market to effectively manage their capital and mitigate risks.

This session:

• delves into the evolving reinsurance landscape in both the life and non-life segments
• explores how insurers can use reinsurance for risk and capital management
• discusses the current challenges and opportunities in the reinsurance market

Some of these challenges include:

• optimising capital allocation through structured reinsurance solutions
• transferring risks to enhance financial stability
• diversifying risk portfolios
• managing solvency and reserves
• addressing non-core or legacy liabilities

Join for a discussion on strategies and practices for using reinsurance to meet strategic needs and manage risk and capital for both the life and non-life segments.

Speakers:

• Yuan Tian, Gallagher Re
• Sylvia Pleskot, Swiss Re
• Wilson Lai, Gallagher Re
• Vincent Luo, Liberty Mutual
• Atong Mu, Taiping General Insurance Co., Ltd

Language: English

China’s recent monetary policy easing, marked by a cut in loan interest rates and a reduction in the deposit reserve ratio, has led to a market yield that is at a historic two-decade low. With a negative duration gap, insurers are now facing the challenges posed by a low-interest-rate environment.

Participating (par) products have surfaced as a viable strategy to combat these challenges. But managing par products is not without its hurdles, encompassing areas such as product design, pricing, asset-liability management (ALM), actuarial modelling, PRE management, and communication.

Speakers:

• George Leung, Deloitte
• Ken Liang, Deloitte
• Dhiran Dookhi, Deloitte

Language: English

AI is redefining actuarial science, enhancing risk assessment, personalising customer interactions and product offering, and refining investment strategies.

AI’s advanced analytics offer unprecedented precision in risk profiling and pricing, transforming insurance products and services. This panel explores how AI integrates sophisticated data sources to innovate risk management, streamline operations through automation, and adapt investment decisions by predicting market trends.

The session also addresses regulatory and ethical considerations for a robust usage of AI.

Join to discuss how actuaries can harness AI to elevate accuracy, efficiency, and innovation in the insurance and investment sectors.

Speakers: 

• Bob Charles, Coherent
• Jing Rong Goh, Singapore Management University
• Koon Shing Kwong, Singapore Management University
• Muqiu Liu, Delta Analytics

Language: English

The IFoA’s AGM for 2024 will be delivered in-person from the IFoA Asia Conference. Members can also join in London and online. The AGM is for members only and is free to attend but you must book your place.

Members can choose if they wish to attend when booking for the conference.

Keynote speaker:

• Trevor Lewis – Deputy Director of Innovation and Industry and Head of South China, Department for Business and Trade at British Consulate-General Guangzhou

ESG is no longer a theoretical concept. It encapsulates a wide range of aspects that actuaries should already be factoring into their work.

Through an engaging panel discussion and Q&A, touching on the full spectrum of actuarial specialisms and focus areas, this session explores how our experts are factoring ESG into their daily work.

For health, learn how social aspects can be factored into pricing and products.

For general insurance, learn how CAT and extreme weather is impacting best practice daily work. And how sustainability and risk management are essential components of product design, customer benefit, and risk mitigation.

For life, learn how ESG will influence product features and support the financial strength of Asia’s aging populations.

For investment management, learn how ESG is strongly influencing the strategies and sustainable portfolios.

And much more.

Speakers: 

• Martin Noble, Zurich Insurance
• Chelsea Jiang, AXA
  
• Cynthia Yuan, China Reinsurance Group

Language: English

This session will be split into sections.

Section 1

In an era inundated with data, the intersection of health concerns and disease dynamics underscores the pivotal role insurers play in securing individuals' financial well-being.

In the first section, Orchis and Benedict will showcase the research from Gen Re's Dread Disease Survey. With a focus on disease dynamics, they will highlight the indispensable insights gained from the study and elucidate how these findings can seamlessly integrate into the evolution of Critical Illness (CI) products.

This section will also shine a spotlight on the various trends in the CI market that have been observed across Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia. Advancements in health technology and updates to screening guidelines are valuable lessons that can be shared across different markets. This knowledge helps audiences understand the connection between CI definitions and the possible challenges associated with critical illness products.

Section 2

The availability of cost-effective screening materially influences the diagnoses of cancer and is a key contributing factor to increasing cancer incidence rates across insurance portfolios. The increasing incidence rates risk impacting the sustainability of this line of business.

To improve our understanding and drive future research, we attempted to quantify the interaction between screening and the observed incidence rates, using lung cancer as a pilot. Pulling together population data, insurance data, screening survey results and the latest medical research, we developed a simulation projection model on to capture the future incidence rates.

The aim of this section is to present to the audience the approach adopted by our research team (data scientist, actuaries, and medical researchers), the initial findings from the model and the potential implications for future CI modelling and product development.

There will also be time at the end to ask the speaker questions consisting of a short panel discussion.

Speakers:

• Orchis Li, Gen Re
• Benedict Tan, Gen Re
• Dokkie Nel, Swiss Re

Language: English

The Asian pension market is evolving rapidly due to the unprecedented challenges of the ageing population and the increasing need for pension provision. On the other hand, new technologies such as big data, AI, and cloud computing are rapidly emerging, disrupting the whole financial industry, which helps individuals gain access to information and make investment decisions much more effectively. In this session, we aim to explore the following questions:

1. What is the current occupational pension practice in China and other Asian markets? What are the limitations, such as member engagement, flexibility, and investment product selections?

2. What are the latest trends and innovations in the pension industry around the globe, such as in the UK and the US? What can be learnt and adapted? How to embrace those changes to meet individuals’ evolving retirement needs in Asia?

3. How can more effective financial well-being education be developed and enhance customer engagement via technology? How can advanced technology and digital solutions improve scale, efficiency, and individual experience?

4. What are actuaries’ roles in this new emerging environment?

Speakers:

• Alex Li, Aon

Language: English

In today’s rapidly changing world, (re)insurers face a multitude of emerging risks that have the potential to significantly impact their operations and strategic decision-making.

This interactive presentation aims to provide a comprehensive overview of emerging risks and their implications for (re)insurers and professionals in related fields.

Through a combination of industry insights, research findings, and practical examples, join the session to gain a deeper understanding of the key attributes of emerging risks, their taxonomy, and the methodologies used to measure their impact.

The presentation also highlights the latest global emerging risks identified by the World Economic Forum and Marsh McLennan Global Risks Report.

Speakers:

• Jingwei Jia, Oliver Wyman
• Chadwick Cheung, Oliver Wyman
• Regina Wang, Oliver Wyman
• Donat Piras, Swiss Re

Language: English

This session provides an examination of the issues and challenges faced by actuarial professionals in harnessing the potential of AI-based modelling solutions. It offers valuable insights and practical recommendations for navigating the evolving landscape of actuarial practice in the era of AI.

In an age marked by accelerated technological evolution, AI offers businesses transformative potentials. For actuaries and other finance professionals alike, navigating, understanding, deploying, and managing AI entails more than just recognising its potentials and the powerful benefits one could gain from it. It requires a comprehensive understanding of the associated financial risks including modelling and bias risks. The Global Risks Report 2024 identified “AI-generated misinformation and disinformation” among the top risks, underscoring the imperative for proactive engagement and risk management.

The presentation looks at the:

• development of the use of AI and AI-based modelling solutions in actuarial work
• emerging best practices and framework of governance for managing AI risks (including biases)
• key issues and challenges for actuaries to consider and to implement in practice

Target audience: all actuarial practitioners

Format: interactive presentation followed by an interactive discussion to encourage audience participation and facilitate knowledge sharing among attendees

Speakers:

• Elena Djarlijeva, BUPA
• Christine Fairall, BUPA

Language: English